Dense fog blanketed the national capital on Friday morning as cold waves swept through the city. The India Meteorological Department reported a temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am.
Air quality in Delhi has worsened, deteriorating from ‘poor’ to ‘very poor.’ The Central Pollution Control Board recorded the Air Quality Index (AQI) at 348 at 6 am today. The AQI classifications are as follows: 0-50 (good), 51-100 (satisfactory), 101-200 (moderate), 201-300 (poor), 301-400 (very poor), and 401-500 (severe). With temperatures falling, homeless individuals in the city have increasingly depended on night shelters for warmth.
To assist those in need, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) has established 235 pagoda tents for homeless individuals. Night shelters have been set up across various locations in Delhi, including areas near AIIMS, Lodhi Road, and the Nizamuddin flyover. As temperatures dropped, residents were seen gathering around bonfires or seeking refuge in night shelters.
Across northern states, harsh winter conditions persisted. In Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, the temperature was recorded at 8 degrees Celsius at 3:30 am. Local authorities have set up temporary shelters for homeless individuals, and people in Aligarh were found seeking refuge in one of these facilities. Meanwhile, in Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, temperatures plunged to -1.3 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am.
In response to the snowfall affecting flight schedules, airline carrier IndiGo issued a travel advisory for operations in Srinagar on Thursday. They expressed hope for a brief pause in snowfall to facilitate smoother travel for passengers. In Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, temperatures were noted at 10.2 degrees Celsius at 5:30 am.
On Thursday night, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited winter shelter homes near Gandhinagar Railway Station to evaluate the arrangements. He interacted with homeless individuals and distributed blankets to those in need.
Sharma assured that “adequate arrangements” have been made in the night shelters, emphasizing that no one should face difficulties during this cold weather. He stated, “I have communicated this to everyone. Through the ‘Chief Minister Sadbhavna Kendra,’ our community is assisting. Our municipality has constructed night shelter homes with commendable arrangements. No one should encounter any problems.”
